My Inner Child
by Priestess Adularia
Summary: Trigon has been defeated, but it isn't over yet. Deprived of love and a childhood, Raven is to remain a child until she can gain the first. And after all, what are friends for? RavenRobin
1. Chapter 1

Priestess Adularia: I know, I know, I quit fanfiction and if I'm going to come back I should at least work on _A New Door Opens,_ but my book is in the middle of the publishing process and it's taking forever and I'm _bored!_ So to pass the time, I wrote this because I loved the cute little Raven so much.

PS: For the purposes of the story, little Raven is named Metrion. What? Why are you looking at me like that?

PPS: Now, I thought of writing my own version of The End III, but I don't really think that's smart since in one week I'll probably hate myself. Instead, let's just say the events occurred, Trigon is dead, and now they're looking for Raven.

PPSS: I own _Like Broken Shards of Glass,_ coming within three months to a bookstore near you. If you live in England I own four books. But Teen Titans? Not so much.

O o O o O o O o O

The Titans stood in a shimmering palace. Standing in front of them was Arella, guardian of Azarath and last remaining survivor.

_This place is _huge, Beast Boy mused.

_She greatly resembles our friend Raven,_ Starfire realized.

_I'm _hungry, whined Cyborg internally. _There _has_ to be some food in this dump!_

_What with her not getting any of her father's ugliness, you'd think Raven would have a mom who looked like her._

Arella looked serene, and happier than she ever had before. Her hair was much longer than Raven's, which over the past few months had been growing frequently and cut just as often. Her full red lips were not like Raven's, nor were her almond-shaped eyes. She didn't have Raven's slim flawless face, and her nose was longer than Raven's. Her coloring was the same. Her slender figure was the same, albeit a bit fuller. She looked to be in her mid-thirties. She was calm and beautiful, but she wasn't Raven.

"Congratulations, young heroes of Earth. You have done what none before you have been able to do."

"That's because this was the only end of the world." Beast Boy pointed out. Cyborg smacked a hand over his mouth.

"Sorry about that," he said apologetically. "He isn't really housebroken yet."

Beast Boy ranted something which—thankfully—was muffled.

"Please, wondrous lady, where is our dearest friend whom you so greatly resemble?"

Arella gazed at her with dark violet eyes. Though they were not Raven's eyes, they had the same eerie quality of making you feel as if someone was seeing right through you. Starfire shuddered. _Clearly this is Raven's _cnorfka_, for how else could she possess the Stare of Yujethid?_

"Did you know that Raven was born without a soul?"

"But she can astrally project herself," Robin protested. "How—"

Arella lifted a hand and he was silent. Robin had the feeling that if she came up to a crocodile scaring children, it would close it's jaws, apologize, and swim an ocean or two away.

"You, Robin. All of you. The friendship you offered her. But—" she sighed deeply, and stroked one of the doves fluttering about— "it was not enough."

The Titans glanced at one another, wondering what this could mean.

"Her heart has always been starved for love, whether she knew it or not. She never had a childhood…"

Another sigh, and she walked over to a large cradle shaped like a bird. Reaching in, she lifted out a small child. Walking over to Robin, she held the child out.

The other Titans crowded around.

"Hey, it's a little Raven!" Cyborg cried.

"Were you not with a young Raven before she kicked the Trigon's butt?"

Robin didn't reply. He looked at the little girl with her fragile beauty and perfect little body. Her slim chest rose and fell evenly. Those huge eyes which had stared at him so fearfully were shut, and she seemed more peaceful than the grown Raven had ever been.

_She looks so_…_so_…

Sweet? Innocent? Those worked, but they weren't what he was looking for.

_Like an angel. She looks like an angel._

"Aww…she's so cute," Cyborg cooed.

"Cute? Raven is not _cute!_ It's an imposter!" bellowed Beast Boy.

"Her name is Metrion," Arella explained.

"But she is our friend Raven."

"Yes, she is. Her clan name is Zinthos."

O.O "You're joking, right?"

"_Thos_ is the Azarathian word for dark. _Zen_ is the word for child, and _Zin_ is the word for 'child of' but it also means 'bird of.' Child of darkness became bird of darkness."

"I'm sure Zinthos…Metrion…I'm sure she's a wonderful kid, but we kind of _liked_ the dark moody teenager who has graced us with our presence almost every day for the past three years."

"Were you to return her to her true age, she would not be the dark moody Raven you once knew, for her heart and soul would be at peace."

"………That's good, right?" Beast Boy wanted to know.

Robin, who had been staring motionless at Metrion (except when he had to push away Starfire's hands, for she seemed to want to tickle her awake) spoke: "How can we return Raven to the way she was?"

"Give her what she never had."

"What do you me—" but he had barely begun when the word was snatched from his mouth by the wind roaring around them, transporting them back to earth.

O o O o O o O o O

Priestess Adularia: I know it stinks, but it's 2:04 AM and I don't think well under the influence of insomnia. Raven/Robin is definite, but how should I pair up the others?


	2. Chapter 2

Priestess Aishisu: How is it that _The Shadow Exploded_ has no reviews and this has eight? Anyway, I love you all, and I hope you enjoy this chapter! I _promise_ the next one will be better (and longer.) _Really! _

O o O o O o O o O

_Central Park_ _New York__, Somewhere on Earth (though no one wants to admit it)_…

It was a completely normal day. Granted, the world had ended earlier that day, but all that was left of that was a vague recollection of darkness in the back of everyone's mind. And one should not dwell upon that darkness, lest they go insane.

But normalcy, after all, is _vastly_ overrated. Why do people keep looking at me like that?

A blustering wind picked up right in the center of Central Park, swirling round and round, picking up trash and scaring birds. When it settled, four teens and a sleeping infant.

"Hiya folks!" greeted Beast Boy brightly. "Remember us? The Teen Titans? We just saved the world today."

_"Raven_ just saved the world today."

"Well, we're a team aren't we?" Addressing the goggling tourists, he mentioned, "We also do bat mitzvahs!"

The tourists murmured in confusion. The people who had been here before had already shrugged and returned to what they were doing. After three years, most of them were used to less-than-normal occurrences.

O o O o O o O o O

"Can we wake her now?" asked Cyborg.

"But she looks so _peaceful,"_ pointed our Beast Boy.

"Is something troubling you, Robin?" asked Starfire.

"Yeah, man, you haven't said a word since we got back to Earth."

"Huh?" Robin glanced up from the sleeping child. "No, I was just…" he looked back down at her face. "Just wondering what we're supposed to _do." _

Cyborg pressed a button on his arm and a voice recording of Arella intoned _'give her what she never had_…_'_

"Yeah, but what does _that_ mean?" was Beast Boy's question.

"The woman with the eyes of Yujethid told us that Raven never had a childhood. Perhaps, were we to give her the joys of a childhood…?"

"What about the love part?"

"But she's less than _one!_ That's…_sick!" _

"Not to mention illegal."

_"You're_ sick," Robin told them in disgust. "I don't think that's what Arella meant, you know."

Metrion started whimpering.

"Oh!" Starfire grabbed her and shook her, licking Metrion just below her knee. "Do those of Raven's world not grow calm when their nichalf is lubricated?"

"Let go of her!" shouted Robin, grabbing the infant. Starfire's eyes grew huge and teary.

"I'm sorry!" he gasped out. "I didn't mean—I—"

But Metrion was squirming, face scrunched up, minuscule tears rolling from her eyes, her tiny fists beating at Robin's arm. It hurt!

"Don't cry," he crooned, rocking her back and forth. She blinked up at him with gargantuan sloe eyes. She hiccupped, and the Titans melted.

"That's better." He kissed her on the forehead, and she let out an unmistakable burbling coo.

"Can I touch her?" asked Cyborg. Without waiting for permission, he touched her head. His metal nerves could feel all the bones that would form her skull, and the soft feathery down of her thick purple hair. Beast Boy leaned over her, put his hands over mouth, cried "peek-a-boo," and parted her hands to show his face.

Metrion began crying again. Water spouted from a fire hydrant they were walking by. Robin felt a sudden burning rage.

"No! No! Don't cry!" protested Beast Boy. "Look…" he turned into a kitty with huge shining eyes. Metrion's tears turned into cries of delight.

"Kitty!" she stretched out her hands. "Kitty!"

"Isn't she a bit young to be able to talk?" Cyborg sounded skeptical.

_She looks older already,_ Robin thought, and had an idea. He touched her hand, and her tiny perfect fingers curled around his. With another hand he stroked her little legs, half-expecting them to grow under his touch. Metrion giggled. He ran a finger over a bone of her skull. It seemed to grow to follow his finger as he went from one ear to the next.

She was still stretching for the kitten Beast Boy, which rose in the air. She hugged him, and Beast Boy made strangled sounds.

_It's working,_ thought Robin, certain that she had been smaller than a kitten when Arella handed her to him. He traced a finger around her mouth. She wasn't giggling anymore, but she was cooing.

They weren't walking anymore, they were crowded around Metrion right in the middle of the street. Every few seconds Robin felt the need to remind them that she needed air.

"We want to play with her, too," Cyborg protested. "You aren't her dad." Robin gave him a sharp look, and he obediently pantomimed zipping his mouth.

But he was right, Robin supposed. Still…"We're trying to _give_ her love, not _suffocate_ her with it."

Starfire grabbed her and spun around twice, singing something as bad as usual. Metrion began to wail.

"The girl has good taste," Cyborg remarked.

Dropping Beast Boy, who unlike regular cats landed on his stomach rather than his feet, she reached instead for Robin. "Dada! Dada!"

"She thinks I'm her dad!" breathed Robin.

"Are you gonna take that from the Devil's daughter?"

Beast Boy, who had been nursing a bruise, pointed at Robin. "Ha-ha, you're Trigon!"

"Who're you calling Trigon?"

"Raven's 'Dada,'" Cyborg teased. Starfire handed Metrion back to him. Immediately she stopped crying and fell asleep with her thumb in her mouth.

"Oh my god she's sucking her thumb!" Beast Boy laughed.

"She looks about four now," Cyborg pointed out.

"If she grows so fast, how is she going to learn?"

"Perhaps as she ages, she regains the memories of her age," suggested Starfire.

Robin glanced down at Metrion and remembered how scared she had looked when he first found her in the destroyed church. Part of him didn't want that fear back, but the rest of him hoped Starfire was right.

He was _not_ teaching her how to put clothes on.


	3. Chapter 3

Priestess Adularia: In two chapters (three days) I have managed to acquire 27 reviews and 751 hits. My story is also on 22 people's favorite lists and 14 people's author alerts, and several people who read this story made me one of their favorite authors. I just want to say that I love you all!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans, Batman, Catwoman, or Huntress/Helena. Hell, I don't even own the songs. Sue all you want, but there's no way you're getting what I _do_ own!

Note: As a child, Raven/Metrion/Zinthos was starved of just about all love. Even trivial kindnesses such as having pets and companions and parental figures around (the mere thought that Robin was her father added two years) were sufficient to make her grow.  
But as she ages, she will become the grave unwelcoming child she had been (she regains knowledge and memories) and it will be harder.  
Eventually she's going to reach the state she was when the Titans just started and then showing her love is going to become pretty hard…  
But I've said too much. Let's continue!

O o O o O o O o O

"Hush little baby, don't say a word, Momma's gonna catch you a mocking bird. And if that mocking bird don't sing, Momma's gonna steal you a diamond ring. And if that diamond ring don't shine—"

The voluptuous young woman was interrupted by the sound of her husband clearing his throat, though why he bothered considering that it was always guttural was beyond her. She lifted brilliant green eyes to a black-haired man, muscular arms crossed and blue eyes narrowed.

"Selina…"

"What?" She laughed, shrugging it off. "It's just a joke."

"You sang that to Helena, you aren't singing it to Richard."

"Fine, fine."

"Robin called."

"Which one?"

"Grayson."

"Oh?" she arched an eyebrow. "Is he planning to tell us why I lost three hours of my life and you keep thinking of statues and fire?"

"All he said is that he wants you and Helena over immediately."

"If you say so."

He watched her leave, a purposeful swing in her hips, before walking over to the cradle. A fond smile quirked his usually unsmiling face as he gazed down at his sleeping black-haired baby.

"Hush little baby don't say a word, Momma's gonna eat that mocking bird. And when that mocking bird won't sing, Daddy's gonna buy you a _shiny_ ring. Then when Momma goes to jail, there's no way I'm gonna pay the bail." Raising his voice deliberately, he added, "because Momma promised to NEVER EVER STEAL ANYTHING EVER AGAIN!"

There was a long silence, but then her sultry voice sang a couple more lines: "In that case you'll just have to die, and I'm using child-abuse as an alibi."

He scowled. Under his breath, he muttered, "my singing wasn't _that_ bad!"

O o O o O o O o O

Metrion was awake. She hadn't said a word to anyone. She simply walked around, taking in everything with wide eyes. After the incident with the fire hydrant, she had shown no sign of having powers. But just to be on the safe side, Robin stayed close to her. Which was just as well, as she refused to let go of his hand.

"How old is she now?" asked Cyborg. "Four, five? Six at the most."

Robin, who had eagerly encouraged her curiosity with cheerful listings of information, told her, "He wants to know how many years old you are. Numbers are one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten. Actually, there are millions and millions of numbers, but you're too tiny to be ten. Do you understand what I'm saying, Ra—Metrion?"

She didn't reply, but she did stare at him with huge eyes that were as bright as buttons. They held a depth of wisdom that, while not matching what one could see in Raven, was astonishing for a child under seven."

"You're actually seventeen, you know," he continued as Metrion tugged him forward. "I'm sixteen, but my birthday is soon. Beast Boy is only fifteen. Cyborg and Starfire are seventeen, but Cyborg will be eighteen a couple months after I turn seventeen. And I may already be seventeen. I don't know my real birthday, so I just call the day Bruce adopted me my birthday."

"Are you just going to talk until she answers or something?" asked Beast Boy.

"Have you met her mom? How can she not be so closed-up if no one ever talks to her?" Robin stopped. Because he didn't mind the solemn, severe seriousness of the Raven he knew. After living with Batman, what was 'creepy' to Beast Boy was normal to him.

A harsh jerking at his hand distracted him.

Metrion was jumping up and down, pointing at one of the pictures on the shelf. Smiling, Robin reached up and took it off the shelf. He handed it to Metrion, who grinned and pointed at the girl.

"Pretty!"

Beast Boy, Cyborg, and Robin stared at her. It was the first word she had said since she was calling Robin 'Dada.'

"Yes, isn't she?" asked Robin with a smile. "That's _you,_ Metrion. On your seventeenth birthday."

She blinked up at him, uncomprehending. Then she looked at the girl. She was slender and pale, with a slim face and high cheekbones, her eyes huge and piercing. She was standing in a decorated room, Robin standing beside her. They were watching a blindfolded Starfire waving a bat at a scared-looking green donkey, who was suspended in thin air by a rope. Cyborg, who had taken the picture, was not in it.

It was one of the rare times that Raven actually seemed happy. _Seemed._ Though there was something lighthearted to her, and her lips were curved upwards in a smile, her eyes were shadowed and haunted. Only Robin had noticed. Cyborg, Starfire, and Beast Boy all knew something bad had happened to her. But none of them knew what.

Robin didn't either, and he still didn't. He supposed he would never know what had occurred between Slade and Raven when time was frozen. But nothing could be worse than what he suspected, and what some of the other Titans did as well. He was sure they did.

He just hoped his fears weren't true.

O o O o O o O o O

Starfire was thrilled, dipping and soaring happily through the clouds. Never before had she so appreciated how beautiful this planet was.

She held bags of toys in her arms, which Robin had instructed her to buy.

Speaking of Robin…

With a little smile, she touched one bag. _I do hope Robin is pleased by my present._ _Why should friend Raven be the only one to enjoy the beauty of love?_

O o O o O o O o O

As Selina neared the giant T-shaped tower, her daughter Helena walking behind her, she noticed a red form streaking through the sky. Upon closer inspection, it seemed to be a curvaceous girl with long scarlet hair and bright lime eyes and a skimpy purple suit.

_One of the Titans,_ she realized. _This must be the Sun Flame one._

Starfire blinked innocently at the beautiful stranger as she lowered to her feet. "Who are you?"

"Selina Kyle," Selina replied, employing her most brilliant smile. "I'm Robin's…how do you say…foster parent-in law?"

Starfire was bewildered, then again she often was. "Umm…" Her puzzled expression changed to a hospitable beam. "I welcome you to our humble dwelling."

O o O o O o O o O

"Oh, that must be Starfire!" said Cyborg brightly as a _beeb_ filled the air, signifying a door being opened.

_That, or the help,_ thought Robin grimly. He was beginning to seriously second-guess his logic in having a thief come help Metrion. He looked at the child whose waist he was holding as she ran her hands over the clusters of grapes in the vase she was holding. Already quiet and withdrawn and so mature he would trust her with a glass vase, she had the bright inquiring open mind of the child she was.

"I wish we had some real grapes to give her," he stated. "They probably didn't have them on Azarath."

_I also wish we had some decent clothes for her,_ he added mentally. They had sent Beast Boy, the only one stupid enough to trespass in her room without permission, to Raven's room on a quest for clothes.

Of course, none fit.

With a silent prayer to Raven to forgive him, he had cut the bottom off one of her leotards so they worked as a dress and the sleeves because Metrion's arms were about a quarter the length of Raven's. Because Raven was skinny, it wasn't as baggy as other people's clothes would be. But it was long, in spite of it being a leotard. It went approximately midway down her calves, and they had somehow managed to make straps so it didn't fall off. They had tried to turn what was left of the leotard into a makeshift cloak, but they all happened to have an intense lack of skill at sewing.

She was also barefoot, which was in no way safe when you lived with the Titans.

"I'm sure we can find something," announced Cyborg, and he walked over to the refrigerator. "Well, we have hotdogs, French fries, doughnuts, creampuffs—_yuck!__"_

"I love creampuffs," said Robin in surprise.

"Cream puffs are fine, but we have Beast Boy's icky tofu! Ooh, but we also have steak, smoked ham, and baby back ribs!"

"No offense, but I think Metrion's a bit young to—"

"—eat cow carcass and the remains of pigs?" asked Beast Boy spitefully.

"…I was going to say get heartburn, but that works too." His eyes widened. "Metrion, don't—"

Too late. The vase fell to the ground and shattered, broken shards of glass flying everywhere. Metrion started crying.

"No, don't cry!" said Robin, picking her up and rocking her like a baby. She pressed her lips together, but tears still trickled from her eyes.

"…………should I keep naming food?" asked Cyborg uncertainly.

"Fine," muttered Robin, who was trying to pick up glass while holding Metrion.

"Azath!" she said in the sweetest little baby voice. The glass rose into the air and flew into the trash. Lowering Metrion to her feet, Robin stared at the floor that had been strewn with glass moments before. Not even a speck remained.

"Cool! She has powers!" said Beast Boy.

Cyborg was obliviously naming food. "Rice balls, onion rings, teriyaki chicken, those berry things Starfire loves, ice cream…"

"What flavors?" asked Robin, glancing down at Metrion. He was fairly certain she didn't have all her teeth yet.

"All kinds! Peppermint, rocky road, peach, vanilla, cookies and cream, strawberry…there's sushi, too!"

"Did someone say sushi?"

At the sound of the husky, unfamiliar (except to Robin) voice, the three guys and Metrion turned to see a stunning woman next to Starfire. She had a silk scarf tied around her shoulder, held in place with a jewel-encrusted jaguar pin. Clinging to her leg much as Metrion clung to Robin's hand was a little girl with big piercing eyes and long black hair. The fingers which clutched her mother were adorned with a ring set with a large glittering diamond.

"What took so long?" demanded Robin.

She shrugged. "Had to catch a mockingbird…it wouldn't sing…I plucked off all the feathers to add to my collection—soon I'm going to have a boa. I dipped its naked body in salt, wrapped it in leaves slathered with cinnamon and paprika, held it over a fire, took off the lettuce, squeezed a lemon over it…" Full red lips parted to reveal ice-white teeth. "It was delicious."

Beast Boy shuddered in disgust. Cyborg was drooling. Metrion tugged on Robin's arm, trying to get him to explain what Selina was talking about. "Ignore her," he told Metrion, trying to ignore a sudden disturbing image of a bald pink little raven (not a mockingbird, a _raven)_ on a plate with lettuce and lemon, covered in red and white powder, with a cat bending its head and opening its jaws…

_Stop that!_ he told himself. _Selina's _weird,_ she isn't _crazy.

He hoped.

O o O o O o O o O

Priestess Adularia: For people who are confused; Selina Kyle is a cat-burglar named (_the_)_ Catwoman,_ the most popular Batman villain (and the only one who is his love interest.) In my story, she and Bruce are married with two children. (Six-year-old Helena and baby Richard) Robin (who dislikes her) needs her help parenting Metrion, who is currently between four and six years old.


	4. Chapter 4

Priestess Adularia: This chapter is dedicated wholly to Umbra Puella and her spectacular fanfiction _Don't Say A Word._ I'm thinking of dedicating the entire fanfiction to her!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Teen Titans or Selina. I own Alexa, who is based on these girls in school I who hate: the Freakish Four (Amanda is freakishly cheerful, Helen is freakishly political, Tillie is freakishly religious, and Kelsey is freakishly stupid)

O o O o O o O o O

"You eat birds?" Beast Boy sounded sickened.

Selina arched her brows. "What are you, a vegetarian?"

_"Yes!"_

"Oh." She shrugged. "Good for you. Still, that damn mockingbird just wouldn't sing. How do you like Helena's new ring?"

Robin's look was as nauseated as Beast Boy's. "You _didn't."_

She fluttered her dark lashes. "Didn't what? And don't worry, I won't eat your Raven."

He flushed. "She isn't _my_ Raven, she's—"

But Selina had caught sight of her. "Disgraceful!" she cried. "How could you let such a beautiful little girl—"she offered Metrion a momentary indulgent smile, which was met with a blank look"—dress like a ragamuffin?"

"I suppose you would prefer she traipse around in a skintight cat suit?" Robin snarled. To Metrion, he crooned, "Don't listen to the crazy lady, you're no ragamuffin."

Selina's beautiful face didn't twitch at the insult. She walked over to Metrion and didn't bend over, she crouched on all fours like a cat. "Hello," she greeted, as if speaking to an adult. And indeed, Metrion's cherub face bore the searching expression of a child perhaps twelve years old.

Then she reached up with her tiny perfect little hand and patted Selina's cheek.

With a noise remarkably like a purr, Selina rose up. "So, does she talk at all?" she asked Robin, who was giving Metrion an odd look. The affectionate gesture was unusual for her, in spite of the simple childish way she clung to him. Clearly, the others had noticed him as well.

Cyborg grinned big. "Well, if she's okay in Metrion's books, she's okay in mine!"

"She's a thief," snapped Robin, earning stares.

_"Ex_–thief," corrected Selina. "I'm married now, I have no time to take detours on the way to an island with a giant T on it to sneak into the house of a rich fatty with so much make-up she seems to wear icing and snatch the smallest, shiniest ring among a zillion while licking the last traces of cinnamon off my fingers and rubbing a bit of extra paprika onto my lips to give it a bit of extra red."

She flipped her hair back and laughed, and Robin suddenly noticed how deathly sharp her teeth were.

"Drama cat," he muttered.

"This from someone who once said Holy Kitten Litter."

"You once said _purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr_-fect," he reminded her, trying to imitate her expert husky purr and sounding like he was choking.

"Well, _your_ little Metrion—"

"Not. Mine."

"Dude, he thinks you're her _dad,"_ Beast Boy reminded him.

"And she won't let go of your leg," supplied Cyborg.

Robin scowled.

Without missing a beat, Selina continued, "—looks pretty enough to have plenty of diamonds stolen for her, and she's wearing a chopped-up shirt—"

"Leotard."

"Whatever. A chopped-up _leotard_ held in place by…what are those straps made out of, anyway?"

Cyborg coughed discreetly.

"At the very least…"

Selina paused and glanced down at her scarf, then unwound it from her shoulders. "Will she come with me? I want to measure her."

"She won't," replied Robin icily. "She won't let go of me."

"Shame." Selina crouched down again and put the edge of the scarf against Metrion's hip, wrapping it once and placing her finger over the cloth where it met the edge. Removing it, she bit down and tore. The extra silk floated to the ground. She wrapped it around Raven's waist, pinning it shut in the back with the jaguar clip. It still looked makeshift and somewhat sloppy, but the silk skirt did give it some shape.

"You can't put her in _green,"_ snapped Robin.

"What's wrong with green?" demanded Beast Boy.

"This is _Ra_—Metri…_her."_ He motioned wildly at Metrion, as if to articulate his point.

"True," replied Selina, sizing her up. "She needs contrast—black and white, maybe with blue and purple if you want color. What do you think?"

"Umm…" he wanted desperately to disagree with her, but he knew she was right.

"How about we go shopping?" she asked. "I know some great baby places, don't I Huntress?"

"Huntress?" repeated Robin. "Her name is _Helena_—"

"Nickname. We going or not?"

"Oh, yes!" exulted Starfire. "Let us journey to the mall of shopping, I beg you!"

Selina arched a dark, perfectly-plucked brow. "All right then…so, we buying her some clothes or not?"

"Just nothing green."

O o O o O o O o O

Robin's immediate reaction upon going to the mall was that it was a mistake. The noise made Metrion cringe and cuddle against him, which while admittedly something of an enjoyable sensation wasn't a very enjoyable sight.

The other Titans weren't helping. They were _trying_ to help, but it wasn't helpful.

"What about this?" asked Beast Boy, holding up a white t-shirt with animals embroidered all over it.

"Would this look nice?" asked Cyborg skeptically, inspecting a silver bracelet.

"Would this not suit our friend Raven so well?" Starfire requested, showing Robin a plum sundress.

"I like this," protested Beast Boy, who had an azure skirt with a pattern of leaves.

"But _this_ actually fits!" Cyborg motioned to the black turtleneck with its silver embroidery.

"This is exk-i-zite!" (Mispronunciation of 'exquisite') Starfire was talking about a skirt with layers upon layers of amethyst satin, each half an inch longer (remember, she's still a kid) and two shades paler than the one above it.

But Beast Boy preferred a cerulean coat with images of lions and tigers with their cubs.

Then Cyborg came forward with a black belt that had strings hanging from it.

Still, Starfire thought the best was an old-fashioned dress of white lace, with full sleeves and a floor-length skirt and flowers embroidered on the bodice.

Robin thought his head was about to explode. Selina was watching with detached interest, perhaps sustaining a grudge from his refusal let Metrion come near her. Just when he was about to go insane…

"Excuse me, can I help you?"

The voice was insanely cheerful. They turned to see a woman looking just as cheerful. She had shoulder-length brown hair, smoke-green eyes, and a cross necklace.

"I'm Alexa Hudson," she chirped. "And what a cute little angel!" She reached out to touch Metrion, who recoiled and grabbed Robin. Pointing at Alexa, she made scared desperate noises like she was about to cry.

Oblivious, Alexa rambled, "How about this lovely shirt? It's red! She would look beautiful in red. She should die her hair red. Purple is out this season. And it supports Bush! Republicans rule! And maybe a cross like mine? She's Christian, isn't she? It would be a shame for such a sweet little child to serve the Devil."

At this point, all the Titans (even Starfire and Beast Boy) except Metrion were glaring at her as if she was Trigon himself.

"I heard the apocalypse was going to come soon, but of course it'll be a while because Christ hasn't taken me to heaven yet. But it may be soon, so you ought to look good when Jesus comes."

Metrion was sobbing now, as was Huntress. Alexa was going on about salvation and the antichrist and how holy she and George W. Bush were (I want to make it perfectly clear before this goes on that I have nothing against Christians or Republicans) while grinning like there was a light bulb attached to each of her slightly yellowed teeth. Robin was gnashing his teeth so hard he felt they may break. Cyborg was beating his metal fist against his palm. Starfire's hands were glowing. Beast Boy was growling. Selina was searching through her purse for something or another.

"So, you want the red Bush shirt and a cross? Real gold? I know it's expensive, but it would really be worth it, don't you think?" Seemingly taking their glares and the baby's crying as consent, she shot them another beam. Why don't I help you find a skirt to go with—"

Selina found what she was looking for.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

She staggered backwards, clutching her face. Between her fingers, blood could be seen.

Selina had found her claws and slashed them across Alexa's face.

"I'm not beautiful anymore!" Alexa wailed. "I'm going to become a martyr!"

She ran off.

O o O o O o O o O

After that, everyone seemed to loosen up. Robin allowed Selina to take Metrion to the lady's room and try on the clothes she found.

They ended up buying several articles of clothing, each in three sizes to accommodate her rapid growth. They had also gotten Helena a new dress. She was giggling happily and dancing around, tugging everyone's hand or leg or skirt in a plea for attention. Metrion was sedate. She was growing up so fast already.

It was almost sad.

_She looks so much prettier than _ _Helena_ thought Robin. _Or she would, if she smiled and laughed like a regular kid instead of a miniature Raven._

It made him think of something Cyborg had told them about from when they were in school, before he was Cyborg. He was just Victor Stone.

A boy, Nathan, had gotten the second highest score on a huge test—six out of seven, a B. Nathan had whooped and clasped his hands over his head. People slapped him on the back, congratulated him, and asked how he did it.

One of the girls, Sophia, had gotten the high score on a project—eight out of seven, an A. Sophia had taken the results, put it in her backpack, and returned to her book. People rolled their eyes, muttered 'as usual,' and forgot about it.

Robin glanced down at Raven and tried to imagine forgetting how angelic she looked. He couldn't.

And, he supposed, he never would.


End file.
